Device for forming dental restorations

Abstract

A tool for forming dental restorations used in the oral cavity of a human being and which restorations are at least partially made of a synthetic restoration material, such as porcelain. The dental tool comprises an elongate handle section capable of being grasped by the fingers or a hand of the user thereof. A first tool section located on one end of the handle section is capable of performing a first operation in the formation of a dental restoration. A second tool section is located on the opposite end of the handle section and is cooperatable with the first tool section and used in the formation of the dental restorations from the synthetic material. These first and second tool sections are used in combination in very closely timed relatonship in order to properly form the dental restorations. A serrated surface section, which functions as a vibrating member, is also located on the handle section intermediate the first and second tool sections. This serrated surface section is designed to create a vibratory action on the dental restorations during formation thereof through reciprocative movement of the tool in order to create fluid movement in the synthetic restoration material. The present invention also provides a method of using the tool for forming the dental restorations as well as a method of making the tool for forming these dental restorations.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. A tool for forming dental restorations used in the oral cavity of a human being and which dental restorations are formed from a composition comprised of a hardenable material and a liquid and which will harden when the liquid is substantially removed therefrom, said tool comprising an elongate handle section capable of being grasped by the fingers of the user thereof, a first tool section on one portion of said handle section used in the formation of dental restorations from a synthetic restoration material, a second tool section on another portion of said handle section cooperatable with said first tool section and used in the formation of the dental restorations from the synthetic restoration material and which first and second tool sections are used in combination to form the dental restorations, and a serrated surface section associated with said elongate handle section and being located in very close proximity to said first tool section and substantially spaced from said second tool section along the length of said handle section, said serrated section being comprised of a plurality of axially spaced apart radially extending ring elements having rounded outer edges which are separated by rounded recessed grooved portions, each of said ring elements being diametrally reduced in successive relationship to one another over the overall length of serrated surface section such that the largest of said ring elements is spaced furthest from the first tool section and the smallest of the ring sections is located closest to the first tool section, said serrated surface section being effective in creating vibratory action on the composition during molding thereof to form the dental restorations through reciprocative movement to further aid in the retention of the liquid in the hardenable material during the formation of the dental restorations, said serrated surface section being located relative to said first tool section so that the serrated section may be immediately shifted axially toward said dental restorations after action by said first tool section, and said first tool section being axially located with respect to said handle section so that said dental tool may be rotated through approximately a 180° arc to utilize both said first and second tool sections and such that said serrated surface section may be quickly and easily located in proximity to the dental restorations to cause an additional vibratory action thereon. 
     
     
       2. The tool of claim 1 further characterized in that said first tool section is located at one end of said handle section and said second tool section is located at an opposite end thereof. 
     
     
       3. The tool of claim 1 further characterized in that the first tool section is designed with a size and shape to pick up the synthetic restoration material and place the same in proper position. 
     
     
       4. The tool of claim 3 further characterized in that tthe second tool section is designed with a size and shape to carve and shape the restoration. 
     
     
       5. The tool of claim 3 further characterized in that the second tool section is designed with a size and shape to condense the synthetic restoration material. 
     
     
       6. The tool of claim 1 further characterized in that said rings are formed of circumferentially extending ridges, each having outwardly and inwardly tapering side walls terminating in outer rounded edge portions. 
     
     
       7. The tool of claim 1 further characterized in that said first tool section comprises a carving blade having an upper edge slightly divergent inwardly toward a central axis passing through said handle section and a lower curved edge merging into the upper edge at a point. 
     
     
       8. The tool of claim 1 further characterized in that said first tool section comprises a carving blade with an upper edge diverging toward a central axis passing through said handle section and merging into a bottom edge which is essentially parallel to said axis. 
     
     
       9. A tool for forming dental restorations used in the oral cavity of a human being and which dental restorations are formed from a composition comprised of a hardenable material and a liquid and which will harden when the liquid is substantially removed therefrom, said tool comprising an elongate handle section capable of being grasped by the fingers of the user thereof, a first tool section on one end of said handle section used in the formation of dental restorations from snythetic restoration material, said handle section having a first threaded attachment means, said first tool section comprising a head portion, said head portion having a second threaded attachment means cooperatable with said first attachment means to fixedly, but nevertheless removably, secure said head portion to said handle section, and said first tool section being fixedly attached to said head portion, a second tool section on an opposite end of said handle section cooperatable with said first tool section and used in the formation of the dental restorations from the synthetic restoration material and which first and second tool sections are used in combination to form the dental restorations, and a serrated surface section associated with said elongate handle section and being located in very close proximity to said first tool section and substantially spaced from said second tool section along the length of said handle section, said serrated surface section being effective in creating vibratory action on the composition during molding thereof to form the dental restorations through reciprocative movement of further aid in the retention of the liquid in the hardenable material during the formation of the dental restorations, said serrated surface section being located relative to said first tool section so that the serrated section may immediately be shifted axially toward said dental restorations after action by said first tool section, and said first tool section being axially located with respect to said handle section so that said dental tool may be rotated through approximately a 180° arc to utilize both said first and second tool sections such that said serrated surface section may be quickly and easily located in proximity to the dental restorations to cause an additional vibratory action thereon. 
     
     
       10. The tool of claim 9 further characterized in that said first threaded attachment means comprises a threaded shank on said handle section and said second attachment means comprises an internally threaded recess in said head portion. 
     
     
       11. The tool of claim 9 further characterized in that said first threaded attachment means comprises an internally threaded recess in said handle section, and said second threaded attachment means comprises a threaded shank on said head portion. 
     
     
       12. The tool of claim 9 further characterized in that said second tool section is also threadedly attached to said handle section. 
     
     
       13. The tool of claim 9 further characterized in that said second tool section is integrally secured to said handle section. 
     
     
       14. The tool of claim 9 further characterized in that said handle section is non-circular in cross section to facilitate handling thereof, and said handle section is provided with a plurality of serrations thereon to further aid in facilitating handling thereof. 
     
     
       15. The tool of claim 9 further characterized in that said serrated surface section is comprised of a plurality of axially spaced apart radially extending ring elements having rounded outer edges which are separated by rounded recessed grooved portions, each of said ring elements being diametrally reduced in successive relationship to one another over the overall length of serrated surface section such that the largest of said ring elements is spaced furthest from the first tool section and the smallest of the ring sections is located closest to the first tool section. 
     
     
       16. A method of using a tool for forming dental restorations used in the oral cavity of a human being where the tool is comprised of a handle section, a first tool section at one end thereof and a second tool section at the other end thereof, and with a serrated surface section located in close proximity to said first tool section and spaced substantially from said second tool section along the length of said handle section, and where said dental restorations are formed from a composition comprised of a hardenable material and a liquid and which will harden when the liquid is substantially removed therefrom, said method comprising engaging the handle section of the tool and locating the first tool section on one end thereof in relation to a mold means to perform a first operation in the formation of the dental restoration by applying the synthetic restoration composition to the mold means, shifting the position of the dental tool to locate the serrated surface section thereon in proximity to the dental restoration being formed, moving the serrated section on the restoration composition thus formed to cause a vibratory action in the composition and thereby cause movement of liquid relative to the synthetic restoration composition and entrainment of liquid in the composition during formation of the restoration, rotating the dental tool through an approximately 180° arc to locate a second tool section in proximity to the dental restoration being formed, and operating on the dental restoration with said second tool section. 
     
     
       17. The method of using a dental tool of claim 16 further characterized in that said method comprises reciprocatively moving said serrated surface section across said dental restoration thus formed in order to cause liquid movement with respect to the restoration composition and liquid entrainment in the composition. 
     
     
       18. The method of using a dental tool of claim 16 further characterized in that the first tool section is designed with a size and shape to pick up the synthetic restoration material and place the same in proper position. 
     
     
       19. The method of using a dental tool of claim 16 further characterized in that the second tool section is designed with a size and shape to carve and shape the restoration. 
     
     
       20. A tool for forming dental restorations used in the oral cavity of a human being and which dental restorations are formed from a composition comprised of a hardenable material and a liquid and which will harden when the liquid is substantially removed therefrom, said tool comprising an elongate handle section capable of being grasped by the fingers of the user thereof, a first tool section on one end of said handle section used in the formation of dental restorations from synthetic restoration material, said handle section having a first threaded attachment means, said first tool section comprising a head portion, said head portion having a second threaded attachment means cooperatable with said first attachment means to fixedly, but nevertheless removably, secure said head portion to said handle section, and said first tool section being fixedly attached to said head portion, a second tool section on an opposite end of said handle section cooperatable with said first tool section and used in the formation of the dental restorations from the synthetic restoration material and which first and second tool sections are used in combination to form the dental restorations, and a serrated surface section associated with said elongate handle section and being located in very close proximity to said first tool section and substantially spaced from said second tool section along the length of said handle section, said serrated section being comprised of a plurality of axially spaced apart radially extending ring elements having rounded outer edges which are separated by rounded recessed grooved portions, each of said ring elements being diametrally reduced in successive relationship to one another over the overall length of serrated surface section such that the largest of said ring elements is spaced furthest from the first tool section and the smallest of the ring sections is located closest to the first tool section, said serrated surface section being located relative to said first tool section so that the serrated section may be immediately shifted axially toward said dental restorations after action by said first tool section, and said first tool section being axially located with respect to said handle section so that said dental tool may be rotated through approximately a 180° arc to utilize both said first and second tool sections and such that said serrated surface section may be quickly and easily located in proximity to the dental restorations to cause an additional vibratory action thereon. 
     
     
       21. A tool for forming dental restorations used in the oral cavity of a human being and which dental restorations are formed from a composition comprised of a hardenable material and a liquid and which will harden when the liquid is substantially removed therefrom, said tool comprising an elongate handle section capable of being grasped by the fingers of the user thereof, a first tool section on one end of said handle section used in the formation of dental restorations from synthetic restoration material, said handle section having an attachment means, said first tool section comprising a head portion, said head portion having a second attachment means cooperatable with said first attachment means to fixedly secure said head portion to said handle section, and said first tool section being fixedly attached to said head portion, a second tool section on an opposite end of said handle section cooperatable with said first tool section and used in the formation of the dental restorations from the synthetic restoration material and which first and second tool sections are used in combination to form the dental restorations, said first and second tool sections being of different size and shape but being designed to perform essentially the same operative function in forming the dental restorations, and a serrated surface section associated with said elongate handle section and being located in very close proximity to said first tool section and substantially spaced from said second tool section along the length of said handle section, said serrated surface section being effective in creating vibratory action on the composition during molding thereof to form the dental restorations through reciprocative movement to further aid in the retention of the liquid in the hardenable material during the formation of the dental restorations, said serrated surface section being located relative to said first tool section so that the serrated section may immediately be shifted axially toward said dental restorations after action by said first tool section, and said first tool section being axially located with respect to said handle section so that said dental tool may be rotated through approximately a 180° arc to utilize both said first and second tool sections such that said serrated surface section may be quickly and easily located in proximity to the dental restorations to cause an additional vibratory action thereon. 
     
     
       22. The tool of claim 21 further characterized in that said first tool section is relatively thin in cross section so that it is relatively pliable and flexible to be elastically deformable and which is also capable of performing a carving function, said first tool section being curved into a spoon-like area having arcuate outer edges merging into an outermost point which is located upwardly of the major portion of said spoon-like area. 
     
     
       23. The tool of claim 21 further characterized in that said first tool section comprises a carving blade having an upper edge slightly divergent downwardly and outwardly toward a central axis passing through said handle section and a lower curved edge merging into the upper edge at an outermost point. 
     
     
       24. The tool of claim 21 further characterized in that said first tool section comprises a carving blade with an upper edge diverging downwardly and outwardly toward a central axis passing through said handle section and merging into a bottom edge which is essentially parallel to said axis at an outermost point below the central axis of said handle. 
     
     
       25. The tool of claim 21 further characterized in that said first tool section comprises a blade having an upper edge and a long edge which are parallel to each other, said upper and lower edges having slightly divergent portions inwardly and forwardly of said handle section toward a central axis passing through said handle section and merging toward each other at a terminal area in proximity of said central axis. 
     
     
       26. The tool of claim 25 further characterized in that said terminal area is a slightly arcuate terminal area. 
     
     
       27. The tool of claim 25 further characterized in that said terminal area is a sharp pointed outer terminal area. 
     
     
       28. The tool of claim 21 further characterized in that said first tool section comprises a blade with an upper edge having an upper curved edge extending along a central axis passing through said handle section and diverging toward a central axis passing through said handle section and having a lower curved edge extending below a central axis passing through said handle section and merging into an outer portion which is essentially parallel to said axis.